Public Affairs: FEMA Reducing Risk & Impact of Floods

1. Public Affairs: FEMA Reducing Risk & Impact of Floods
Public Relations Case Studies Group 6

2. FEMA
 Partnering with FEMA to create social marketing campaign to:
 Educate public about flood risks
 Educate public on costly effects
 Motivation to purchase flood insurance
 Secondary research provided
 Previous marketing efforts only focused on flood awareness
 Did not increase insurance growth
 Work with ad firm to create five-year, integrated marketing campaign
 Connect consumers directly to insurance agents
 Must provide consumers with information to make smart financial decisions
Overview

3. FEMA
 Variety of tactics to employ approach
 National media campaign
 Direct mail
 Targeted online marketing
 Campaign website
 Website must be main resource for flood risk and insurance info
 Must reach insurance professionals
 How will you increase policy sales
 Measuring success:
 if campaign helps achieve 5% annual increase in flood insurance policies
 Demonstrating increased awareness by public about flood insurance
Overview Cont’d

4. Issues
• Global warming (increase in natural disasters)
• Low/decreasing trust in FEMA after Hurricane
Sandy and Katrina
• Economic condition causing public to hesitate on
certain expenses
• People unaware they live in flood zone
• People unsure of where to purchase flood insurance
FEMA

5. Secondary Research
 $4.5 billion in property damage per year
 FEMA considers flooding “America’s #1 natural hazard”
 Property development in flood-prone areas continues
 81% unaware of need to purchase flood insurance separately
 1 in 4 chance of flooding during 30-year mortgage
 Local news most preferred information source regarding flood
risk (76%)
5

6. Secondary Research Cont’d
6

7. Secondary Research Cont’d
 Hurricane Sandy cost U.S. $70 billion
FEMA

8. Secondary Research Cont’d
FEMA

9. Secondary Research Cont’d
FEMA

10. Primary Research
 Quantitative study to determine level of concern each
audience feels
 High risk/above average risk homeowner study
 average/below average risk homeowner study
 Quantitative study to determine key opinion leaders for
total audience segment
 Determine most prominent flood insurance company in
each state for outreach during campaign
10

11. Primary Research Cont’d
 Qualitative study to determine most effective executional
framework for total audience segment
 Results:
 Dramatization
 Testimonial
 Informative
 Celebrity branding
11

12. Audiences
 High risk area property owners 35+
 North Dakota, South Dakota, Iowa, Minnesota
 Above average risk property owners 35+
 Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Jersey
 Average risk property owners 35+
 New Mexico, Oklahoma, Kansas, Utah
 Below average risk property owners 35+
 Oregon, California, Nevada, Idaho
 Insurance professionals
 In Insurane
12

13. Audience Wheel
13
Internal External
Intermediary Special
• Insurance agents
• FEMA
employees/volunteers
• Current flood-
insurance policy
holders
Property Owners In:
• High-risk flood zone areas
• Above average flood risk
areas
• Average flood risk areas
•Media
• Retail partners
• Property owners in
below average flood
zone areas

14. 14
Must
Influence
Should
Influence
Likely to
Influence
• High-Risk
• Average
• Insurance
agents
• FEMA
employees/volunt
eers
• Current flood
insurance policy
holders
Unlikely to
Influence • Retail Partners • Below average
Maximum
PR Effort
Significant
PR Effort

15. 15
Audience Message Channel
• High-risk
• Above average risk
• Average risk
• Protect your family with
flood insurance
• Direct mail
• TV/PSA
• Social media
• Media
• Celebrity endorsement
• Below average risk • Why risk taking the
chance?
• Social media
• TV advertisements
• Media
• Insurance agents
• Retail partners
• FEMA
employees/volunteers
• Be a hero • Electronic communication
• Employee orientation
• Current flood insurance
policy holders
• Always protected. Always
safe.
• Bill inserts
• Newsletters
• TV/PSA

16. Issue: People Don’t Know
They’re in a Flood Area
1.0 Increase knowledge of climate patterns & flood risk zones nationwide by
35% by 2019
1.1 educate total risk zone population on increases in flooding and climate
patterns in their area
1.1.1 Direct mail campaign highlighting changes in flood
patterns/climate changes in selected area over 30 years. Use selected
executional frameworks. (supply resources for local flood insurance agents
and campaign website)
1.1.2 Establish numerous social media platforms to engage and
educate. Generated content will include flood potential warnings,
flood/climate change facts, engagement with public, graphs and current
info on storms
1.1.3 Online video campaign to push out via social media channels and
website feature
1.1.4 Disseminate news release and fact sheet surrounding climate
changes to nationwide local media outlets and relevant national media
outlets
16

17. Issue: People Don’t Know
They’re in a Flood Area
1.2 Increase education among all flood zones and emphasize importance of
having flood insurance by 81% by 2019
1.2.1 video campaign targeted to each audience by flood risk zone (shared
on website, social media)
1.2.2 media outreach targeted to each audience by flood risk zone
highlighting unknown facts about flood insurance
1.2.3 Key opinion leader PSAs via radio, TV highlighting benefits of flood
insurance
17

18. Issue: Low/Decreasing Trust in
FEMA after Hurricane Sandy,
Katrina
2.0 Gain and restore trust in FEMA with population by 25% by 2019
2.1 inform public on FEMA disaster relief efforts
2.1.1 nationwide media buying campaign
2.1.2 hold press conference following any natural disaster emphasizing
relief given by FEMA
2.1.3 partner with major retailers to sell FEMA branded emergency kits
18

19. Issue: Public Doesn’t Know
Where to Purchase Flood
Insurance Policies
3.0 Motivate agents to increase sales of flood insurance to potential victims
by 25% by 2019
3.1 restore agent morale and emphasize heroism
3.1.1 produce required-viewing video with “hero” theme for agents
nationwide
3.1.2 implement incentive program that will raise commission rates
19

20. Issue: Low Public Knowledge
Surrounding Flood Insurance
and Related Information
4.0 Drive traffic to campaign website/increase social media following by 70%
each year by 2019
4.1 Consistently increase follower count on social media
4.1.1 display social media accounts on all branded marketing materials
4.1.2 engage in flood/climate/weather conversations
4.2 consistently increase traffic to website and position as main resource
for public
4.2.1 display web address on all branded marketing materials
4.2.2 include insurance agent locator
4.2.3 know your zone application that provides user with flood info in
their area
20

21. 21

22. Results
22
 Year One
 Achieved two percent increase in flood insurance policy.
 Did not achieve goal
 Customer Survey
 Primary research conducted post year one resulted in 38 percent
awareness about flood insurance.

 Year Two
 Achieved three percent increase in flood insurance policy.
 Did not achieve goal
 Customer Survey
 Primary research conducted post year one resulted in 43 percent
awareness about flood insurance.


23. Each year, thousands of Americans lose their homes and personal belongings to
flood, the nation’s number-one natural disaster. Without flood insurance, affected
families face major repair costs, resulting in lost savings and multiple mortgages.
Is it ethical to use scare tactics as a way to sell product?
RETYPE BOX AND LIST ANSWER

24. Resources
24
 Association of State Floodplan Managers
 American Meteorological Society
 Civil Society Institute
 Floodsmart.gov